Electron beam devices, in particular a scanning electron microscope (SEM) or a transmission electron microscope (TEM), are used to examine objects so as to obtain information in respect of the properties and behavior of these objects under certain circumstances.
In the case of an SEM, an electron beam (also referred to as primary electron beam below) is generated by means of a beam generator. The electrons in the primary electron beam are accelerated to a predeterminable energy and focused by a beam guidance system, in particular an objective lens, onto an object to be analyzed (a sample to be analyzed). A high-voltage source with a predeterminable acceleration voltage is used in the SEM for acceleration purposes. The primary electron beam is guided in a grid-shaped manner over a surface of the object to be analyzed by means of a deflection apparatus. Here, the electrons in the primary electron beam interact with the material of the object to be analyzed. In particular, interaction particles and/or interaction radiation is/are generated as a result of the interaction. By way of example, electrons are emitted from the object to be analyzed (so-called secondary electrons) and electrons from the primary electron beam are back-scattered at the object to be analyzed (so-called backscattered electrons). The secondary electrons and the backscattered electrons are detected and used for generating an image. An image of the object to be analyzed is obtained thus.
Imaging the object to be analyzed is one possible way of analyzing the object to be analyzed. However, further forms of analysis are known by all means. By way of example, the interaction radiation (in particular x-ray radiation or cathodoluminescence) is detected and analyzed in order to be able to draw conclusions about the composition of the object to be analyzed.
Furthermore, the prior art has disclosed the use of combination devices for processing and/or analyzing an object; in these, both electrons and ions can be guided onto an object to be processed and/or to be analyzed. By way of example, the practice of additionally equipping an SEM with an ion beam column is known. An ion beam generator arranged in the ion beam column is used to generate ions, which are used for processing an object (e.g. ablating a layer of the object or applying material onto the object) or else for imaging purposes. Here, the SEM serves, in particular, for observing the processing, but also for the further analysis of the processed or non-processed object.
Furthermore, the prior art has disclosed a particle beam device comprising a first particle beam column with a first beam axis, wherein the first particle beam column is embodied to generate a first particle beam. Additionally, the known particle beam device comprises a second particle beam column, which is provided with a second beam axis and embodied to generate a second particle beam. The first particle beam column and the second particle beam column are arranged in such a way in relation to one another that the first beam axis and the second beam axis include a first angle of approximately 50° to 60°. Furthermore, the known particle beam device has an object support which is rotatable about an axis of rotation. By way of example, the axis of rotation extends through the center of the object support. Furthermore, the axis of rotation includes a second angle with the first beam axis and a third angle with the second beam axis. An object on an object holder can be arranged on the object support, wherein the object has an object face to be processed and/or to be analyzed. The object holder is arranged above the object support along the axis of rotation.
In a known method, use is likewise made of both a first particle beam (ion beam) and a second particle beam (electron beam). The first particle beam is guided substantially perpendicularly to a marking surface of the object to be examined. Two longitudinal marks, arranged in a V-shaped manner in relation to a longitudinal axis of the object and intersecting at a point of the marking surface, are applied to the marking surface. Furthermore, by means of the first particle beam, provision is made for a layer of the object to be removed by scanning the first particle beam perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the object. As a result of this, a surface which is oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the object (i.e. parallel to the first particle beam) is exposed. In a further step, the second particle beam impinges on the exposed surface. The interaction particles generated in the process are detected. The detection signals generated during the detection are used for imaging and the image data obtained thus are stored. The aforementioned method steps are repeated to expose further surfaces of the object to be examined and to obtain image data for the further surfaces. The stored image data of the various exposed surfaces are combined to form a three-dimensional image data record of the object in a subsequent process step.
In respect of the prior art, reference is made in an exemplary manner to DE 10 2008 041 815 A1, DE 10 2007 026 847 A1, EP 1 443 541 B1 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,312,448 B2.
The known particle beam devices from the prior art are used e.g. to carry out series examinations of an object. In particular, this is understood to mean that the object surface of an object is initially processed in a first step using the first particle beam. By way of example, material is ablated from the object face or material is deposited onto the object face. For the purposes of processing the object face, the object support is brought into a first position relative to the first particle beam column. The object face is subsequently processed using the first particle beam. In a second step, the processed object face is analyzed by means of the second particle beam. To this end, the object support is brought into a second position relative to the second particle beam column. The processed object face is subsequently analyzed. By way of example, the processed object face is imaged by means of the second particle beam. Provision is now made in the series examination for a multiple change between the first step and the second step. By way of example, the first position and the second position can be identical in this case. In this case, the second particle beam impinges e.g. obliquely onto the processed object face.
Moreover, the prior art has disclosed an x-ray microscope, in which an object is analyzed by means of x-ray beams. The interaction of the object with the x-ray beams is measured and evaluated. A representation of the object is obtained thus. A three-dimensional representation of the object can also be produced by means of the x-ray microscope. In respect of the prior art, reference is made in an exemplary manner to U.S. Pat. No. 7,561,662 B2 and the publication “Metrology of 3-D IC with X-ray Microscopy and Nano-scale X-ray CT” by Wang et al. in IEEE 2009.
Furthermore, the prior art has disclosed a confocal laser scanning microscope. Using the known confocal laser scanning microscope, a small region of an object to be analyzed is examined by means of a laser beam, wherein the laser beam is guided over the object in a grid-shaped manner. A representation of the object is calculated and displayed by evaluating the interaction of the laser beam with the object (in particular by means of measuring light reflected at, or transmitted through, the object or by means of fluorescence). In respect of the prior art, reference is made in an exemplary manner to the publication “Orthogonal-plane fluorescence optical sectioning: three-dimensional imaging of macroscopic biological specimens” by Voie et al. (Journal of Microscopy, volume 170, part 3, June 1993). Furthermore, WO 2010/136319 A1 has disclosed a combination of a particle beam device with a so-called SPI microscope (selective plane illumination microscope), which is used for correlative optical microscopy and particle beam microscopy. Moreover, WO 2012/080363 A1 has disclosed a method for automated imaging of predefined areas in section series, in which artificial structures in the form of bores are introduced into a still uncut object in order to simplify a subsequent reconstruction of the image of the object in 3-D.
For some objects to be examined, it is desirable for these objects to be analyzed to be examined with as many of the existing analysis methods and analysis devices as possible in order to collect as much information about the objects to be analyzed as possible.
It is therefore desirable to be able to examine an object in a simple manner with a plurality of analysis methods and analysis devices.